Webb's late touchdown gives UAB 23-21 victory
Posted October 18, 2008
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For more on this game, see the Postgame Stats
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.(AP) Joe Webb ran 28 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and UAB held off Marshall's late comeback attempt for a 23-21 victory on Saturday.
Webb had 20 carries for 135 yards and completed 15 of 28 passes for 217 yards to help UAB (2-6, 1-3 Conference USA) roll up 432 yards of offense.
Mark Cann completed 16 of 26 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns for Marshall (3-4, 2-1).
Webb's late touchdown with 14:53 left in the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winning play.
A little more than three minutes later, Marshall's Mario Harvey stripped the ball from UAB's Aaron Johns and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown. That pulled the Thundering Herd to within 23-21.
Marshall drove from its own 30 to the UAB 20 in the closing minutes, but the drive stalled, and Craig Ratanamorn came on to attempt a 37-yard field goal that would have given Marshall the lead.
But the kick sailed wide right with 2:50 left.
Darius Passmore finished with six catches for 165 yards and one touchdown for Marshall.
The game got off to a shaky start for Marshall.
The Herd's Chubb Small bobbled the opening kickoff and was tackled on his own 6-yard line after bringing the ball out of the end zone. Marshall tried a reverse, but Passmore was tackled in the end zone by UAB's Anthony Barnes for a 2-0 lead.
Marshall drove 71 yards in nine plays to score on a 21-yard pass from Cann to Cody Slate with 2:33 left in the first quarter.
The Herd appeared to take control when Cann hit Passmore on a 71-yard touchdown pass for a 14-2 lead early in the second quarter.
But UAB turned went on a 19-play, 93-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard scoring run by Justin Brooks.
The key play in the drive came when UAB went for it on fourth-and-7 at the Marshall 35. Webb bobbled a shotgun snap and was in trouble before escaping and gaining 10 yards.
UAB got a 22-yard punt return from Kevin Sanders to start at the Marshall 46. Webb's 31-yard pass to Jeffery Anderson went to Marshall's 1, and Rashaud Slaughter ran it in from there with 49 seconds left in the first half.
Slaughter caught a 2-point conversion pass from Webb to give UAB a 17-14 lead at halftime.
Marshall missed an opportunity in the third quarter. The Herd faced a third-and-17 at UAB's 49, and Cann had to leave the game after being injured.
Backup Brian Anderson launched a 48-yard strike to Passmore to UAB's 1, but the Herd couldn't cash in.
After Darius Marshall was stopped for no gain and a false start penalty, Anderson fumbled.
UAB's Richard Carter recovered, and the Blazers responded with the game-winning 93-yard scoring drive.
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